Mangaluru: “Mera Bharat Mahan”; ” Incredible India”; ” Shining India” or let’s talk about PM Narendra Modi’s ” Swachh Bharath Abhiyan”. Wow, nice sounding feel-good words, na? No doubt that India is facing a most disturbing crisis that’s very open but yet not acknowledged by most Indians.Decades after Mahatma Gandhi wrote in a moment of despair that ‘Sanitation is more important than political independence,’ India’s claim to fame is not its legions of software programmers, dozens of call centers, piles of nuclear bombs or its silly Chandrayan lunar expedition but its peerless status as the “Shit-hole of the Planet”, in the literal sense.
If we talk about a sanitation emergency in India – the problem of open defecation and the problems it brings in its wake is quite stunning. According to a report on Internet, these are some of the most “Statistics” or stinking “shitistics” that I’ve heard on India in a long time: The report said :
– Indians leave about 100,000 tons of shit in the open every day, in the fields, on the river banks and in the middle of the biggest cities
– About 665 million Indians shit in public or engage in open defecation (to use a euphemism), that’s half the world’s 1.2 billion who let go in public- Each gram of feces contains millions of harmful bacteria and viruses and a thousand parasite cysts- Over 37% of the total human excreta generated in urban India is unsafely disposed, according to the National Urban Sanitation Policy document prepared by India’s Ministry of Urban Development
– According to the 11th Five-Year plan document, of the 200 million dwelling units across India, only 40 million dwelling units have a toilet inside the house. Only 61% households in urban areas and 17% households in rural areas have access to improved sanitation
– 12.04 million urban households do not have access to latrines and defecate in the open- India’s poor sanitation extracts a heavy toll. UNICEF has found that every day 1,000 Indian children, younger than five-years die of diarrhea and other diseases caused by poor sanitation
– Sadly, 50% of Indian schools do not provide separate toilets for boys and girls leading to high dropouts by girls. The Government of India acknowledges that lack of covered toilets nearby imposes a severe hardship on women and girls and yet does little
– According to the Government of India’s shitistics, 10 million cases of diarrhoea, more than 7.2 lakh typhoid cases and 1.5 lakh viral hepatitis cases occur every year mostly due to unclean water supply and poor sanitation
The above “shitistics” reveal the dystopian nightmare that hundreds of millions of poor Indians live in and still we have all these clowns spending millions of rupees advertising a chimera called “Incredible India” in leading magazines/other periodicals, and even on International TV Channels. But we think abject poverty in the rural hinterlands and urban slums is a more significant factor in open defecation and ultimately poor sanitation. Of course, poor allocation of resources and corruption also play a role as they do in most public policies or lack of public policies in India.
Given the sanitation crisis in India, it’s futile to tell an Indian – ‘Don’t Talk Shit‘, because most likely feces has already entered into the mouths of most Indians due to poor sanitation.In the shadow of its new suburbs, torrid growth and 300-million-plus-strong middle class, India is struggling with a sanitation emergency. It is learnt that 75 percent of the country’s surface water is contaminated by human and agricultural waste and industrial effluent. Everyone in Indian cities is at risk of consuming human feces, if they’re not already. And for that matter even Mangaluru falls in that category, and we have an example to reveal it as narrated along with photos, by a local advocate Raghavendra Rao. So, did we hear anyone say Mera Bharat Mahan? or “What the heck is happening to Swachh Bharath?”.
Here what Advocate Raghavendra Rao had to say to me, ” Every weekend early morning, Saturday and Sunday, I go for my walk at Panambur Beach. All this time I used to take a different route for my walk at the beach. But last Saturday, for some reason I took a stroll on right hand side of the beach after you enter the main beach entrance. To my utter surprise I was ashamed to see nearly 100 plus of men answering the “nature’s Call” openly on the sea shore. I clicked a few pictures on my smart-phone (which you will see in the article) from a distance- I wanted to take close-up photos, but was nervous that I may get harmed by these Poopers, for highlighting their identity. I will be taking up this issue with the DC soon, since the administration is spending so much money on the beautification and cleanliness of Panambur Beach- and now we see negative and filthy scenes.”.
In response to the Advocate’s side of story of people pooping on the beach, I immediately called my friend, Yathish Baikampady- who is the CEO of Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project, who replied saying, ” There’s no way that people are pooping on the beach early morning, since we have our life-guards watching the beach 24×7. Could be the advocate might have taken the photos on the extreme far side of the beach, where poor people lacking toilet facilities might be defacing openly. But if it proves to be true, I will take necessary action, and see that this issue won’t arise again”.
To make things true and clear, I again called Advocate Raghavendra Rao and briefed him about what Yathish Baikampady had to say, for which Rao replied saying, “My statements are 100% true- the photos on my mobile phone will speak the truth- the exact location of scenes which I captured on my smart phone is about 200mts on right hand side of the beach after you enter the main entrance. I think these people who poop during the early morning hours are laborers (mostly from North India who work at nearby factories etc). I am ready to talk to anyone if they need more clarification. My intention is not to hurt any ones feeling, but to bring awareness of safety and health hazards so that beach-goers are not affected by hazardous human feces. This is very shameful that is happening on this beautiful beach. Hope my message and this article will reach the concerned people, so that they can rectify the issue at the earliest. Thank you”.
So in order to find out whether the facts are True or False, I took a trip to Panambur beach around 11am, and met some locals and fishermen there. One local said, ” The inhabitants of the slums around here prefer to do ‘ their thing’ outside. A sewer as we know it doesn’t exist there, so most people drop their dropping on this beach. These people don’t have toilets and government is least bothered to provide public toilets”. One of the fishermen said, ” Absolutely true- there are many people in the morning who intentionally poop here. Most of these folks are laborers- we had advised them many times, but no one cares. The authorities should be strict and punish those who dirty the beaches”. “When it’s finally your turn, the day is almost over!’. And what is the outcome of this problem? Exactly, a beach full of crap” he added.
In conclusion, I fully don’t blame these poor people/laborers- when they have no proper toilets they look for open air facilities to relieve themselves. And I think, pooping on the beach seems more convenient to them- no carrying of water- you sit on the beach,, you do your thing, and automatically the waves will clean your mess. No flush required? But still it is not a good thing to notice such acts on the beach, when many tourists/beach-goers storm Panambur Beach for fun and frolic. No one wants to get sick from all these human feces mixed in the water. Now that a big Surfing event is going to take place at the end of this month, it would be nice if the district authorities could look into this “shiity” situation, so that the participants/spectators/visitors will not have a chance to encounter such “pooping” scenes in the morning- and make a mockery of the beautiful Panambur Beach. Let’s hope for “Swachh Bharath” and “Swachh Panambur Beach”!
Punishment is the only deterrent and it should not peanut amount. Fine them heavily then people improve other wise Indian thinking never change.We look at western countries and praise their cleanliness. Why so because the fine they pay. If you visit a toilet there you have to pay 1 or two USD for using the toilet. Here we are happy shit on sea shore and wash the bum with sea water.Our MLAs visit western countries and pay one or two Dollars and do not talk it here.
Is it true that the sea snakes and wild catfish are on the loose?
Is it true a school of salt water Piranha are on the loose, at this beach?
But how about Candiru? This minnow-like fish is attracted to uric acid source.;
hence finds its way through the urethra. Must be agonizingly painful.
Now you know why I don’t pee in the swimming pool!
Portable boxes at the beach could be a solution, partly.
Instead Govt just focusing on providing just free rice or 1 rupee rice, they should arrange / toilets/bathrooms for these people atleast public toilets as mentioned in this article…I hope this article visible to poopers or so called leaders who got elected to do good deeds to common men!
Why I don’t eat Bolinger (white silver lined fish)! Unfortunately the vile scenes depicted in these photos speak of nothing but the truth of what is going on here. I visited the Thanneerubavi beach myself a few years back. Upon first glance, it appears to be a clean beautiful beach visited by many; with people of all age groups enjoying the sands and the clear waters; a beach that were if connected to ullal, could certainly even have striking similarities to Cancun of Maxico in my opinion. Therefore, upon deciding the next day on an early morning jog to take… Read more »
Do not waste money building public toilets, if you cannot maintain them. So many public toilets are beyond use especially at the bus travelling facilities. If you build public toilets, create the position of Toilet Keepers for each toilet. Charge Re.1 per use. Public toilet needs to be cleaned multiple times a day. If someone made a mess, others cannot wait until next day for a Municipality man to come and clean, if at all he cleans.
Why only Pannambur beach , right from Thannirubhavi to Surathkal, beaches are used as not only as toilets but also as dumping ground. All garbage is dumped in to the sea. Naturally sea is dumping it back on the beach. there is no place to walk on this beach because of this. People who call the sea as Ganga Mata, pour Milk to it one day, dump and pour garbage on other 364 days.Some community leaders must take initiative to clean up this mess.
why cant the MCC build free toilets for poor wherever there is a need ?
Shocking exposure of such large scale open relieving of locals on popular beaches while all this while I was thinking that such activity might be confined to cities with huge populations like Mumbai!! Definitely the species of fishes caught near the shores should be having a high fecal content in them!! No doubt one my friends advised me not to eat certain types of fishes like cat fish (it has definitive pooh colored yellow coating on it) and river fish which thrive near huge drains etc. should be strictly avoided and he even went to the extent of terming them… Read more »
Have seen the same situation 25 years ago, before Mangaluru became “developed”. The fisherfolk has always resorted to this practice.
Sadly the dryfish is also put on the same beach area for drying.
If people stop buying the dryfish, it may send a message to the fisherfolk.
Saw the same situation at Tannir Bhavi. Its horrible. The culprits here seem to be the truck drivers and labourers from outside town who come to the Oil terminal. Why cant the port authorities build some toilets for these people. It is their responsibility and they make lots of money anyways.
This is nothing new. This has been going on for generations – Beaches and rivers are notoriously abused every morning by local population. Even the ponds/lakes are not safe in the hands of our community. Back in late-80s, I remember the horrifying experience of taking an early morning walk by Gokarna beach and witnessing human waste littered all over the place!!! Have you ever witnessed Nethraavathi river banks near Dharmasthala or Kannadi hoLe in Subrahmanya in early morning hours ? Purely disgusting!!! As Jairaama Ramesha put it once, India is the biggest open toilet on earth!! We need to learn… Read more »
The needy locals must demand from their children who are earning abroad or in other cities:
“My child, don’t come home on vacation, or for marriage, or for any local function,
UNLESS you build a toilet, especially for your own use, when at home!
“Skip a vacation, drinking, or smoking, and send such money strictly to build a toilet”
No marriages in DK homes, unless they build toilets/kakus for their own honeymoon usage!”
Nothing happens, unless there is an awareness of the present need. Thanks folks.
James fernandes,
What’s honeymoon got to do with kukus? Is there a side to the honeymoon I am not aware of?
What’s honeymoon got to do with kukus? Is there a side to the honeymoon I am not aware of?” queries James Henry! Apparently needs instructions on reproduction!! Waste elimination; whether solid, explosive liquids, or gaseous; nasal, oral, sneeze, tears or perspiration upon exhaustion, need rather immediate ablution or purification. To help smooth this process it’s better to have a lavatory/kakus/latrine close by; rather than wading through a rivulet; water hole; or letting the sea waves rain, or FISH to wash and cause the fish to smell just like us, on day two. I can be more specific; but this site… Read more »
So now you are trying to establish a link between honeymoon, reproduction and kakkus?
Mind boggles.
After the original sin, Adam and Eve had a swim, to hide from God, in the Lilly laden stream. The minnows helped them clean their bodies, since soaps were not invented. Then eve said, “Oh my God, now the fish too will emanate my odor, in the garden.”